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Coaching your own child

Volunteering to coach your child in AYSO is a family experience. It’s a time in your child’s life you’ll want to share. AYSO’s National Coaching Program was created to help every parent – mom and dad, soccer veteran and soccer novice -- enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience with their child.

Based on innovative age-appropriate training, an AYSO parent coach learns how to create a fun introductory soccer experience for five-year-olds, add in more techniques for the increasing motor skills of six and seven-year-olds, then progress through the age groups (U10, U12, Intermediate, and Advanced), adding appropriate technique and skill training at each age level.Coaching your son or daughter is a unique opportunity to spend time with them and help with the life lessons that every parent values. These are memories, for both you and your child that will last forever.

Making A Difference In Children’s Lives

A coach can be the most influential person in a child’s life. In AYSO, Positive Coaching is a fundamental philosophy because of the crucial role that a coach has. Coaching in AYSO is a chance to spend quality time with your own child but you’ll also provide an important role model for all the children on your team. In fact, the joy of coaching is so meaningful, that many AYSO coaches continue coaching long after their own children have moved on from AYSO. Soccer knowledge is a plus, but AYSO provides training and materials so that even a soccer novice can coach effectively by starting in the younger age divisions. Being a coach involves skills you probably already have in addition to specific soccer knowledge. If you are uncertain, try being an assistant coach. Your Region's Coach Administrator will be happy to try to match you up with somebody with a little more experience

Small-sided games

AYSO recommends that all children under the age of 12 play smallt-sided soccer (fewer than 11 players per team).